Meeting of the Minds 2014

         Every year on the first week of November, thousands of Parrot Heads and Trop Rock music fans "flock" to Key West, Florida for the annual Jimmy Buffett fan club convention called "Meeting Of The Minds". Four (or five, or six, or more - depending on your stamina) days of sun and fun in the bars and watering holes around Key West. Like many of our friends, Georgia and I like to take the long way down - flying in to Ft. Lauderdale, renting a car and driving down US 1 until we get to the end of the road. Along the way, we all have our favorite stops for fish sandwiches, conch fritters, and a variety of frozen drinks and cold beer. Here is a random picture diary of this year's trip. If you were there, we hope you reminisce along with us. if you weren't - or have never been - maybe this will coerce you into planning a trip in 2015...

 Alabama Jacks, Key Largo

 BO's Fish Wagon, Key West

 John Frinzi, Smokin' Tuna Saloon, Key West

 Sunset at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West

 Geiger Key Marina, Key West

 Sunset in Key Largo

 Ft. Zachary Taylor, Key West

 Gilbert's Resort, Key Largo

 Jim Morris at Hog's Breath Saloon street party, Key West

 Kelly McGuire and Mark Mulligan, Key West Lighthouse

 Duval Street, Key West

 Lor-e-lei, Islamorada

 Looe Key Tiki Bar, Ramrod Key

 Peter Mayer and Coral Reefers, Casa Marina, Key West

 Rob Mehl, Hog's Breath, Key West

 Rum Runners, Islamorada

 Schooner Wharf, Key West

 Sunset in Key Largo

Sunset, Mallory Square, Key West

Meeting Of The Minds: Sunday, November 6th - The Last Waltz

We had originally planned to fly back to Atlanta on Sunday, but were told by several MOTM veterans that we should stay to catch Sunny Jim's songwriters showcase at Blue Heaven. So, we made some last minute adjustments - which included having to move hotels - and stayed another day. And we were very glad we did. Getting reports that Blue Heaven was packed to the gills for brunch, we decided to wait a few hours before going and, instead, headed to the Smokin' Tuna Saloon, Scott Kirby's new place just off Duval (you can read more about it in my earlier interview with Scott here on BB&B). The place was also pretty packed but we ran into our new friends, Jimbo, Tracy, and Brett again, who were getting ready to leave and offered us their table, where we sat and watched Howard Livingston and, then, John Frinzi with special guest, Doyle Grisham.

The Tuna is one of our new favorite places in Key West, with plenty of room, a cozy feeling despite being largely outdoors, and good food - the Smokin' Tuna Dip and peel & eat  local shrimp were especially tasty. One funny note: After turning down my first couple of beer requests, saying they were out of stock, the bartender shrugged and by apologized, saying "This is our first Parrot Head convention. We just weren't ready!"

We hated having to give up our much coveted table, but we wanted to catch at least some of the acts at Sunny Jim's showcase, so we closed out and walked up Whitehead Street. By the time we got there, the brunch crowd had subsided and, although there was still a good sized audience enjoying the music, there were plenty of places from which to watch the show.

If you've never been to Blue Heaven it's REALLY an outdoor venue. Unlike Smokin' Tuna, where there are at least some covered areas where you can go when the weather doesn't cooperate, there is no such shelter at Blue Heaven. Luckily, it was a beautiful Fall afternoon so being outdoors was exactly where we wanted to be. especially given the caliber of entertainment. Another interesting feature of Blue Heaven is that the "stage" is about ten feet up in the air, surrounding an old water tower. So, to see the performers, you have to look up. The advantage is that, unless you were to maybe get behind a group of NBA centers, you never have to worry about people blocking your view.

We caught Tall Paul, Latitude, Rob Mehl and several others before heading back to the Smokin' Tuna to see Kelly McGuire and Scott Kirby. On the way, we stopped by the Green Parrot, where the Sauce Boss was rocking the house while mixing up a pot of Gumbo.

Back at the Tuna, we found the place to be even busier than before. Apparently, even though the convention was officially over, lots of folks had the same idea we did and had decided to stay another day. Georgia eagle-eyed a group with young children sitting at the very same table we left a couple hours earlier ("They can't stay long, they have kids") and this time we were able to repay the favor by inviting Brett and his buddies from the Ft. Meyers area PHC to come sit with us.

Kelly and Scott are two of my favorite Trop Rock artists, and the chance to seem them play together was a real treat. They were joined by Mike Aiken and the three took turns performing their own songs. And that was just the "appetizer" for the main event, Scott Kirby and guitarist Dave Edmisten (along with a fiddle player whose name I didn't catch). Together, they ran through some of Kirby's catalog, including one of my favorite all time Trop Rock songs, "Lucky Enough". The line "I'll raise my glass, you can kiss my old ass...I'll die with my feet in the sand" will probably wind up on alot of Parrot Head tombstones.

A full day of music, wrapping up a long but thoroughly enjoyable convention, but it wasn't over yet. The last hurrah was the "No Plane On Sunday" party featuring Jim Morris & The Big Bamboo Band at Schooner Wharf. Morris had the crowd singing along to every song, mixing his own originals with rowdy covers, like Jerry Jeff Walker's "Up Against The Wall You Redneck Mothers". Wiped out but grinning ear to ear, we called it a night - and a week. On the way back to our hotel, Georgia turned to me and said, "As soon as we get home, we're registering for next year."